Complex quantum teleportation achieved for the first time

Austrian and Chinese scientists have for the first time succeeded in transferring three-dimensional quantum states (symbolic image). Credit: ÖAW/Harald Ritsch

Austrian and Chinese scientists have succeeded in teleporting three-dimensional quantum states for the first time. High-dimensional teleportation could play an important role in future quantum computers.

Researchers from the Austrian Academy of Sciences and the University of Vienna have experimentally demonstrated what was previously only a theoretical possibility. Together with quantum physicists from the University of Science and Technology of China, they have succeeded in teleporting complex high-dimensional quantum states. The research teams report this international first in the journal Physical Review Letters.

In their study, the researchers teleported the quantum state of one photon (light particle) to another distant one. Previously, only two-level states ("qubits") had been transmitted, i.e., information with values "0" or "1". However, the scientists succeeded in teleporting a three-level state, a so-called "qutrit". In quantum physics, unlike in classical computer science, "0" and "1" are not an 'either/or' – both simultaneously, or anything in between, is also possible. The Austrian-Chinese team has now demonstrated this in practice with a third possibility "2".

Novel experimental method

It has been known since the 1990s that multidimensional quantum teleportation is theoretically possible. However: "First, we had to design an experimental method for implementing high-dimensional teleportation, as well as to develop the necessary technology", says Manuel Erhard from the Vienna Institute for Quantum Optics and Quantum Information of the Austrian Academy of Sciences.

The quantum state to be teleported is encoded in the possible paths a photon can take. One can picture these paths as three optical fibers. Most interestingly, in quantum physics a single photon can also be located in all three optical fibers at the same time. To teleport this three-dimensional quantum state, the researchers used a new experimental method. The core of quantum teleportation is the so-called Bell measurement. It is based on a multiport beam splitter, which directs photons through several inputs and outputs and connects all optical fibers together. In addition, the scientists used auxiliary photons—these are also sent into the multiple beam splitter and can interfere with the other photons.

Through clever selection of certain interference patterns, the quantum information can be transferred to another photon far from the input photon, without the two ever physically interacting. The experimental concept is not limited to three dimensions, but can in principle be extended to any number of dimensions, as Erhard emphasizes.

Higher information capacities for quantum computers

With this, the international research team has also made an important step towards practical applications such as a future quantum internet, since high-dimensional quantum systems can transport larger amounts of information than qubits. "This result could help to connect quantum computers with information capacities beyond qubits", says Anton Zeilinger, quantum physicist at the Austrian Academy of Sciences and the University of Vienna, about the innovative potential of the new method.

The participating Chinese researchers also see great opportunities in multidimensional quantum teleportation. "The basics for the next-generation quantum network systems is built on our foundational research today", says Jian-Wei Pan from the University of Science and Technology of China. Pan recently held a lecture in Vienna at the invitation of the University of Vienna and the Academy.

In future work, the quantum physicists will focus on how to extend the newly gained knowledge to enable teleportation of the entire quantum state of a single photon or atom.

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User comments

Writer uses term teleportation loosely, probably for effect (clicks). It's not meant the particle (photon in this case) is teleported from one place to another, how most people use the term; instead, it's merely copying the photon's properties to a different photon, more like cloning. Picture's caption clearly states they "succeeded in transferring three-dimensional quantum states", but the writer chooses to describe it as they "teleported the quantum state of one photon (light particle) to another distant one". To most people that's mixing 'transferring' with 'teleporting'. But it does make for a catchy headline.

Unfortunately the term "teleportation" has been widely adopted and used for a while now to describe the sort of thing going on here. Which only serves to leave the layperson who is unfamiliar with this usage disappointed by the truth behind the article. Which is too bad since I'm sure what's being described is groundbreaking and could be just one more important step towards a new computing paradigm that maybe will prove as disruptive and world changing as the first one.

Teleporting is the transference of "information" from its origin to another specific reception unit that will, in turn, 'read' that information and transcribe it into something that is useful for the recipient. Just HOW they can teleport that information through Space without it being scattered is known only to them, it seems. So they are using Optical Fibres, not space to transport information from its origin. Perhaps I missed the length of the fibres from the origin to its receiving unit. Distance is key, I'd imagine.About the only use for real Quantum Computing, IMO, is in spaceship travel around the Universe and for storage of tremendous amounts of information that would take up too much room otherwise.

This is quantum information - not information. No message was transmitted. The described method is useful for things where correlation between sender and receiver is needed (e.g. encryption), but you cannot teleport information (also take note of the no cloning theorem which was not broken here)

I understand why some are pointing out that it's reproduction rather than actual teleporting. But if you think about it, this is the original challenge to "teleporter" technology, since Star Trek made the concept popular.Is the person really being teleported... or are they being copied at another location (and the original killed each time)? The differences here are: the original structure is not being obliterated in the process and was never sentient (so then "killing" would be too dramatic a word). But the focused point is the same.Should we really be calling it "teleporting"?I think there is no absolute right or wrong about that.It's just another way to think of it. If the object were sentient, we could highlight the fact that "the self" is an illusion anyways.And it would be equally true (and equally false) to say the subject then exists in two places at once,or to say it counts as two different sentient entities.The same could hold true for anything non sentient.

I don't hold much hope for molecular/cellular teleporting from one location to another receiving end. That is a completely different kind of information where, if scattered could obliterate the Life Form itself. In generations to come, the cellular information might be held safely and a reproduction of it sent/teleported. The main problem would be how to recompose it into the person or object that it was originally when it arrives at the new location.Quantum information teleportation is not quite as dramatic or potentially fatal. The information in that regard would still maintain in the original if it had been recorded previously before transmission to another location. If it got lost in transmission somehow, the backup copy would still be available to be sent again. This is similar to data on a computer that is hacked for ransom. If the computer's owner had kept backup copies elsewhere, he or she could tell the thieves to pound sand (to put it mildly).

..high-dimensional quantum systems can transport larger amounts of information than qubits. "This result could help to connect quantum computers with information capacities beyond qubits"

I admit this is the very first time I hear about "qutrits". A quantum computer gets twice as large and fast with each extra qubit because its speed and size depends directly on the number of qubits "n" via a simple 2^n "formula" (2^2 = 4, 2^3 = 8, 2^4 = 16, 2^5 = 32 etc). That means that a qutrit would scale much faster by 3^n (3^2= 9, 3^3 = 27, 3^4 = 81, 3^5 = 243 etc), a "ququatrit" with 4 dimensions would scale even faster by 4^n (4^2 = 16, 4^3 = 64, 4^4 = 256, 4^5 = 1024 etc) and so on..

So assuming it is feasible to design and develop a quantum computer with qutrits or quxxx with higher dimensions, it would make much more sense than to be limited by qubits, and would provide a huge performance speedup. I would assume working with qutrits or higher must be even more complex though..

The main problem would be how to recompose it into the person or object that it was originally when it arrives at the new location.

@SEU No, that's the second most important problem, and it's a technical problem. The No1 problem, which is not technical but moral, is what happens to the original. By definition the original needs to be destroyed the very first time you teleport. So what is teleported is not actually you or Jean-Luc Picard but a quantum copy of you or Jean-Luc Picard.

In your second and third teleportation your first and second quantum copies are respectively destroyed, and so on. So teleportation by definition means constant and repeated death and re-assembly. The only way to retain the original and not technically destroy it would be to find a way to convert it to energy (*not* information), then somehow store and teleport that energy and then reconvert it back to matter at the destination. But that's in the realm of magic and fantasy, not sci-fi.

So theoretically speaking noiseless optical amplifier, can empower both an eavesdropping and a key distribution. Who is using which protocol?

Shooter hits upon the finer points of a deterministic theory, which, depending on who you ask is the far more interesting one, massless, relative entropy, might by fatalistic, reversibility, but a massive thermal time theory remains ever an effective theory...

The bosonic background plays tricks, and yet 3 of D9 (p-brane), may deny the plight of holes in favor of handles. Unitary evolution, under, on, and over. From the platonic to a prior of independence, to a prior of uninformative for the collectively exhaustive. It seems the insurance for compact just got an extension.

@SahstarPerhaps in order to save the original from destruction, a holographic copy could be sent in its place to its destination. The original that remained in its/her/his primary location could interact as though he were in the other place, with sound and a remote imaging of what is going on over there.In that way the 'ship's complement' would remain the same instead of one missing and no longer on board.We already have the holographic technology. In fact, I would like to see if they could teleport a hologram to a distant location. Might be possible.

I google searched and found that Microsoft has already done what I mentioned above. I wasn't aware that they were so far advanced in this type of holographic research. There were many other sites, but I chose this one:

SEU, the perils of TeleportationYou have to convert every molecule in this human body into lines of code at this point of teleportationThat includes this greatest peril, SEUAll your worldly thoughts at the instant of teleportationGoing back to when you were bornAll your memories from this instant going back to when you born, SEUForeth, SEUThe instant you step up to this PlateIf this teleportation is one electron amissOne single lonely electro-chemical synapse brain wave amissThe SEU that stepped up to this plate - will not be the SEU that steps of this plate

With this advent of Microsoft's HOLOPORTATION, it will be possible to "teleport" an image of the subject into a different location, even ship to ship, where the teleported hologram could interact with the people in that other location as though he or she were really there with them.This is REVOLUTIONARY, granville. No need for the death of the original with this method. They can even teleport into a moving car. :)The correct term you should be using is: Happy Holoportation.

I can foresee how this Microsoft holographic technology could be used to teleport an holographic IMAGE of a human to planet Mars who would be able to interact with the Martian planetary conditions as though he were really there, albeit being safely on Earth. All that he sees would be recorded.All the holographic equipment would have to be sent up to Mars prior to such an endeavour, with robots setting up the equipment guided by humans in key locations on Earth.In this way, it would give scientists more time to perhaps modify the bodies of human astronauts to withstand the rigours of space and the specific radiations that they will be subjected to, as well as the long duration of flight.The holographic image on Mars will be like the voyage of Columbus to the "new world" (which had already been populated). Another benefit is that IF there are Martian microbes that may infect a human astronaut, no such thing could happen to a holographic image.

SEUAccording to this article"Through clever selection of certain interference patterns, the quantum information can be transferred to another photon far from the input photon, without the two ever physically interacting."

This means, you can travel to the galaxiesby transferring your informationto another photonon another galaxywithout ever leaving earth

YES!!It is the most, or one of the most amazing things that humans have conceived and taken to a reality. But I hope that other tech companies don't try to interfere with this technology, or to compete with it. For, you see, there can be only ONE and only one that must be the driving force to put these machines on spacecraft to go out to the Stars. To Mars first, then to planets and moons such as IO and Europa. Once the machines are on Mars and the spaceship(s) are able to continue to other planets in the Solar System, the Holo Tech can enable NASA, ESA, and other space agencies to 'planet hop' while never leaving home.ONLY when the human body has been modified should they be sent out to colonise other planets.And when and IF rare wormholes are discovered and accessed, those humans who have modified bodies will be ready to go THROUGH those wormholes (if it is allowed) to land on planets many millions of light years in distance from Earth.

YES!!It is the most, or one of the most amazing things that humans have conceived and taken to a reality. But I hope that other tech companies don't try to interfere with this technology, or to compete with it.

We can travel infinite distancesin fact SEU, this information is instantaneousThis makes this even better

You can be on a different planet, let's say Mars. You already have the Holoteleporter there and you want to 'virtually' go to one of the planets in the Trappist1 system. If there already is Holo at Trappist b, you can virtually be at Trappist b instantly.I think that by the time that humans are on planet Mars, the Holo tech will be able to transfer a Holo machine almost anywhere. But I wouldn't recommend Black Holes or any planet close to one.And you are completely safe, being that it is only an IMAGE of you going there, while the real you is on Mars.

The main problem would be how to recompose it into the person or object that it was originally when it arrives at the new location.

@SEU No, that's the second most important problem, and it's a technical problem. The No1 problem, which is not technical but moral, is what happens to the original. By definition the original needs to be destroyed the very first time you teleport.

@Sahstar You are quite right, murder is immoral, but, quite mistaken to presume it, a problem. For after all, aren't wars accepted murders? How about the execution of a murderer? Only in this case you, being teleported, would sanction your murder. Or is that suicide? Problem solved?

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